Cottages a throwback to simpler times

Tiny vacation homes big on affordability

Micro-cottages in the Wild Coast Cottages development, built by Three Point Properties in Port Renfrew, B.C., range from 400 to 600 square feet.

Photograph by: Handout photo
, Wild Coast Cottages

Just three hours - that's how long it takes Bill and Karen Fowler to escape when the urge comes over them.

The High River, Alta., couple bought a micro-cottage in Port Renfrew, B.C., in the first phase of the Wild Coast Cottages development by Three Point Properties after reading an article on it last summer.

"Bill was sitting on our deck reading the newspaper one day when he said 'I think we've just found our vacation property,' " recalls Karen.

Bill, a Realtor with Re/Max in High River south of Calgary, and Karen talked about it for a while, agreeing that the concept suited them, as did the affordability - and that was that.

"We thought they'd go fast, so we did some research and flew right out there to finalize things," says Karen, who works as a public health nurse for Alberta Health Services.

Port Renfrew, a fishing village at the end of the scenic West Coast Road on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, has fewer than 200 residents.

Karen Fowler estimates it takes three hours to get to the front door of their cottage from the Calgary airport - and to get away from their hectic working schedules.

The cottages are functional, well built, and planned with buyers' needs and affordability in mind, says Jack Julseth, a principal in Three Point Properties.

And all of these elements have proven successful - 35 of the 40 cottages in the first phase have been sold or reserved.

When complete, the there will be 80 cottages, each built off-site by Westco Construction then delivered to the Port Renfrew location.

The 400-square-foot Wild Coast Cottages Oceanside, which make up the first phase, are priced from $149,000 to $199,000.

In the second phase, Water's Edge at Wild Coast Cottages will measure from 550 to 650 square feet and will range from $249,900 to $399,000.

Phase 2 will be constructed on the oceanfront, with views to the Pacific Rim National Park and the West Coast Trail.

The price point at Wild Coast Cottages has created a bit of a frenzy," says Julseth. "Form should serve function, and one of those functions is to work with people's budgets.

"With Wild Coast Cottages, we purposely set out to create the bestpriced and best-valued recreational real estate on the West Coast, and people have taken notice."

He adds that the company has invested a lot of energy and time into affordability because that's what the market now demands - a comment that is echoed by project manager Ben Mycroft.

"Part of the development concept was to create a product that was priced like nothing else available in the recreation property market," he says.

"We are attracting buyers who want a recreation property but who aren't necessarily looking for a large second home."

The fact that the places were small was part of what appealed to the Fowlers; all they were looking for was an escape destination where they could hike and enjoy the ocean.

The architectural design of the cottages is well thought out to maximize total usable square footage. The 400-square-foot units can comfortably sleep four people. The 600-square-foot units are designed with two bedrooms and will sleep six. Some of the standard home features include exposed-beam ceilings, natural wood detailing, large covered decks, cedar shingle front elevations, full kitchens with quality appliances, engineered hardwood floors, double-pane windows and more.

Optional add-ons include wood or propane fireplaces and storage sheds for fishing, surfing or paddling gear. Also, many of the cottages have enough driveway space to comfortably store an RV or boat trailer.

"Those who grew up in Ontario or B.C. during the 1960s or 1970s probably have a good idea of what cottage lifestyle is all about - spending long days fishing in the nearby oceans or lakes, lounging in the sun on the front porch and getting caught up with that reading list or having all the neighbourhood kids over," says Julseth.

"Wild Coast Cottages is on a mission to bring back this lifestyle and the response to date has been extraordinary."

The property is situated on highbank waterfront that looks across to the West Coast Trail and Pacific Rim National Park and has beach access as well as beautiful forested boardwalks along the water's edge.

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